Willard Scott portrayed Ronald McDonald in his first television appearance for McDonald’s in 1963.
Scott was a television personality and weather presenter who played the early version of McDonald’s red-haired mascot. The character appeared in a series of local Washington, D.C., advertisements before becoming a national advertising figure.
The original Ronald McDonald costume differed from the familiar later design. Scott’s version used food-related clothing and props, including a paper cup hat, helping establish the character’s connection with McDonald’s products.
A common mix-up is identifying Scott as Ronald McDonald’s permanent actor. Several performers later played the mascot, but Scott is specifically associated with the character’s first television portrayal. Ronald subsequently became the central figure of McDonaldland advertising alongside characters such as Hamburglar and Grimace.